In The Beginning: a poem in IV parts

I.
Suddenly a flash across the sky—
a bang, a scent
the scent of rain.
Then rain
then
another bang
setting off all the car alarms in my heart

II.
In the beginning
you came to me like a flash of lightning
that makes everything visible for a brief moment
and stays in the eye longer
Yes, in the beginning

you came to me in a flash, in a bang
in the sizzle of summer fireworks
and I stood with my mouth open
and sang

III.
In the beginning
we wrote our initials in the sky
and would dream on the backs of kites
finding each other’s faces
in the shapes of clouds.

Then we exchanged names
and carved them into wood.
Now, you come to me closer to earth—
more arboreal than aerial—

in soil wet to the touch
and bittersweet to the tongue.
You come to me
speaking of life

Out from the earth
a thousand green arrows
leaping from the loam—
exuberant flowers
exploding across a field
to applause

IV.
We have become more of earth than sky
deep, yielding, damp and unmovable
Together we are like one tree
connecting both heaven and earth

a crackling current
a live wire
a green fire

We are alternating currents
of green and gold
the gold of lost cities
of leaves

Now we are each
a falling leaf of one tree.
Our prayers of gratitude
are reborn blue-green
of earth and sky

Each day we are born
Each day we die
Each day we are born

Our hymn
leaf
leaf
leaf
leaf

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